Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-05-06
integrity, and liberal portion Of sturdy
New England Saving common sense
THE BSTBY COMPANY'S
BUSINESS.

It's Rapid Growth and Present Volume.
In our sketch Of Hon. Jacob Estey's life
we have briefly traced the growth Of the
Estey Organ business up to the erection Of
the present factories which was begun in
ls60-10 To the facts there stated il may
be added that the firm Of Estey & Green
was dissolved Jan. LIST, 1858, and for two
years Mr. Estey conducted the business
alone. Jan. list, 1865, he took in three
partners and the concern built branch
factory in Chicago. April lst, 1866, the
firm was dissolved, Mr. Estey's partners
taking the Chicago factory At this time
the company was organized with its pres
ent membership, the son and son-in-law,
julius j Estey and Levi X. Fuller succeed
ing TO an interest in the business
During the winter of 1869 and the spring
Of 1870 the shops now numbered 3, 4, D
and were built and the concern moved in
to them in the spring Of 1870. Since that
time four additional main shops with
numerous supplementary buildings have
been erected and the thriving Esteyville
settlement with substantial attractive
| dwellings owned by the workmen and 9th
ers, has grown to comprise probably one
fifth Of the population Of the village. In
blt lthl VI 0llbllh NUS = anu % Is All hlllltA
larger than the buildings in front the dry
house has a capacity Of 100, 600 feet of lum
| her, and there is large storehouse, ma
chine shop, blacksmith shop and other nee
essary smaller buildings. The total amount
Of floor space occupied is about 100000
| feet, or more than three acres Of room.
| The number Of workmen averages 800 dur
/ ing the year and the monthly pay roll
amounts to $50, 600 to S25, 600.
| In 1870, when the new shops were occu-
| pied, the monthly product Of the factories
was 25O organs month Today it is 1900
TO 1900 month, or an organ completed
and shipped for every ~ to 10 minutes
during every working day Of 10 hours. In
place of the plain, square, unpaneled and
unornamented box cases made from 1853 to
1866, the styles are now fully 100 in mum
Der. and comprise every variety of design
from the ordinary school or chapel organ
to the mammoth three manual pedal instru-
ment now being built for the American ex
hibitiou in London.
1t is literally true that the Estey goods
find their way to every civilized country
on the globe, and they have received warm
est commentator and endorsement from
musicians of the first rank in this country
and abroad A large foreign trade is done
through the London and Hamburg houses.
Besides the innumerable private agencies
scattered everywhere, the company owns
branch houses in New York, Philadelphia,
Boston, Chicago, st. Louis, Atlanta and
London. In these, combined with the home
business Of manufacturing, an amount Of
capital is involved which gives the Estey
concern rank among the foremost indus
tries of the country.
The Estey Piano company, in which the
BrattlebOro firm is largely Interested, was
organized in New York Jan. list, 1851. =,
rapidly has its business grown that all addi
ton will he made to the factory this season
which will more than double its capacit
aud carry the product up ~ 2jO pianos d
month About 100 hands are employed il
the New York factories, while about 10,
piano cases a month are made at the Brat
tleboro factories.
In the more recent years of the Este,
concerns history Mr. Jacob Estey the pres
idrnt, has confined himself closely to hi
post of duty aud oversight at Braulrboro
while Lieut. Gov Fuller, the vice president
and Col Estey, the treasurer, are necessuri
~ often absent to look after the company
affairs at the business centres, and one o
the two usually makes hasty visit t. Eu
rope during the summer season.